Man killed by jet passengers possibly provoked

Published: Friday, September 29, 2000

SALT LAKE CITY {AP} A 19-year-old man who flew into a rage during a Southwest Airlines flight and died after being subdued by passengers may have been provoked by the flight crew, passengers told police.

"Several passengers stated that the flight crew antagonized the young man and that intensified his anger," according to the Salt Lake City Airport Police incident report, obtained Thursday by The Associated Press. Names of the passengers were not disclosed.

Jonathan Burton of Las Vegas became combative 20 minutes before the flight was due to land, screaming obscenities, hitting other passengers and pounding a hole in the locked cockpit door. As many as eight of the plane's 120 passengers subdued him and held him down until the Aug. 11 flight arrived in Salt Lake City.

Burton died after being removed from the plane. An autopsy determined that he was killed by the passengers. Federal prosecutors have said they will not file criminal charges.

One passenger contacted Thursday agreed that flight attendants may have provoked the man after his initial outburst.

Anne Crawford, 41, of Barstow, Calif., said that after Burton attacked the cockpit door, passengers succeeded in getting him back to his seat and calming him. She said a flight attendant then loudly announced that another passenger, an off-duty police officer, would take care of the situation.